Investigation on the damage mechanisms and penetration performance of jacketed rods with different striking velocities

Ballistic experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical model investigations of the penetration performance of homogeneous and jacketed rods into a semi-infinite target are presented. The striking velocities vary between 0.9 and 3.3 km/s. The effects of the jacket material, striking velocity, and initial kinetic energy on the penetration performance and damage mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that jacketed rods provide better penetration performance than homogeneous rods with the same initial kinetic energy. For a fixed ratio of the jacket radius to the core radius, it is preferable to use a jacket material with a lower density and strength that can provide the lowest required flexural stiffness.